Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Chikungunya in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract The recurrence of Chikungunya virus poses a significant public health concern, given its association with numerous epidemic episodes in Africa, Asia, and India. Since the virus was first detected in Ethiopia in 2016, the disease has been identified in different parts of the country, emphasizing the need for up-to-date epidemiological data on the status of Chikungunya in Ethiopia. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using online published articles between 2016 and 2023 from PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. The PRISMA guideline was thoroughly followed and registered in the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). A set of keywords like ‘Chikungunya,’ ‘Chikungunya Virus,’ ‘Chikungunya Fever,’ ‘Prevalence,’ ‘Seroprevalence,’ “Risk Factor”, “Potential Factors”, and ‘Ethiopia’ were used in the search engines. A total of five articles met the eligibility criteria and were included for data extraction. Meta-analysis was performed using STATA 17 software. The pooled seroprevalence of Chikungunya in Ethiopia was 12.35%. The highest prevalence was reported in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) at 43.6%, while the lowest seroprevalence was in Dire Dawa, at approximately 12%. Factors such as occupation, education, age, and sex contributed to prevalence variation. Subgroup meta-analysis showed heterogeneity across the types of studies employed. No indications of publication bias or small-study effects were found in the Begg’s test and Egger’s test. The findings will help us to understand the trend of Chikungunya in Ethiopia. The findings recommend proactive monitoring or active surveillance of viral diseases and the rigorous enforcement of health systems, as well as One Health measures in Ethiopia, to improve human public health.